For the past several years, no visit to see Mom was complete without a pilgrimage to the amazing little chocolatier called Chocolate Surprise (in, you guessed it, Surprise AZ). In February my heart danced when I noticed that a fabulous yarn store, Cactus Yarns, had opened right next door. Best of all possible worlds! But my fantasies were dashed the following month, when I arrived at Chocolate Surprise to find their door ostentatiously chained shut and plastered with a lengthy and detailed “Five days to pay or quit” missive from their landlord. RIP Chocolate Surprise! <sob> Your Inside-Out Columbian Tiger Truffle was one of the best things I ever tasted. (FYI: No tigers were harmed in the making of this truffle.)

Mom and I did not observe an appropriate mourning period, however, because her new caregiver Marda told us about Cerreta’s in Glendale. I raced down there pronto to check it out.

Every wall features a sweet mural.

The candy store is tucked into one quarter of a huge room that is otherwise filled with complicated looking machinery where the magic happens. I’ve only been there on Saturdays, but if you visit on a weekday all the machines will be humming along merrily doing the Lord’s work, and you can even take a tour.

Serious machines for important work.

Who knew chocolate making would involve so many buttons and flashing lights? And yes, I desperately wanted to push them all.

Cerreta’s makes a variety of filled chocolates, nutty chocolates, sugar-free chocolates, EXCELLENT New Orleans-style pralines (the crumbly ones!) and taffy (some of which is allegedly flavored like certain cacti, although I am unwilling to risk my dental work to eat something that I wouldn’t know for sure tasted like something I’ve never tasted…).

Nom nom nom. The green ones in the upper left are French Mints and they are scrumptious.

You can buy a pre-packed assortment in a box, or you can grab a bowl and select a few of these and a few of those, which is what I always do because there are some people in Mother’s household who ONLY like MILK chocolate while others STRONGLY prefer DARK. <sigh> Can’t we all just get along??

I’m a friend to all chocolate types but I must admit I prefer the dark and the less sweet end of the spectrum. Many of Cerreta’s chocolates are too sweet for me, but I am very much in favor of their French mints, dark orange creams and the ones infused with rum or amaretto. Yum! They also do an anti-oxidant special for the willfully self-deluding among us who cling to promising medical research about the nutritional merits of chocolate. I think these contain dried cranberries and almonds along with dark chocolate. Whatever with the health benefits. Sign me up!

Cerreta’s chocolates could not be more different from those at Chocolate Surprise. Cerreta’s flavors are classic and wholeheartedly American (despite the so-called French mint) while Chocolate Surprise (RIP) specialized in the exotic and yes, the surprising. But I’m totally charmed by the hometown pride of Cerreta’s whole operation, their good natured willingness to reveal all to the curious, and did I mention the free sample of your choice?

Bunnies = must be Easter! Ginormous US flag is a nice touch.

I think someone told me this Santa weighs about 300 delicious pounds. As does the real Santa, probably.

I know many folks are all het up about “Let’s all boycott Arizona because of the Papers Please law” etc etc, and if I were planning a huge event that was likely to pour millions into the Arizona government’s coffers, I would think twice before choosing an Arizona venue for it because I do believe: That. Law. Is. Racist.

But I also believe in supporting the little guy, the independent business people and their regional specialties that make travel, even to this Phoenix suburb, engaging. So I’m glad to shop at Cerreta’s Candy Company and I hope you’ll check it out if you’re local or just passing through. (If you take the tour, or if you know about the history or reputation of this place, please fill me in!)

I *love* that this taffy-wrapping machine with the jaunty paint job appears to be named Rose. She wraps 300 pieces a minute!